Seth Horwitz

So, I’m looking to do the 4-Speed Automatic swap, detailed in the post below, and literally nowhere else. I’m not capable of doing that work, and my mechanic is a generalist. I go to him for everyday needs on all of my cars, but go to a specialist if I’m bringing one of my other cars to a track day. I’m told that The Little Garage has a ton of 2002 experience, so I’m happy to spend a little more to get something done right, and they happen to be near where I’ll keep the 2002. Any thoughts? Thanks. Seth

This almost stopped me from buying a 2002 last Thursday. The seller had only put a few hundred miles on it since he bought it 2 years ago, so he had little knowledge of the systems, and we were sitting in the car and couldn’t get the heat to work. I was ready to walk away, as I know dealing with the heater box can be a huge hassle, then he found a post explaining exactly that. Switch changed, all good. I get the car this week.

For me, I'm looking for the path of least resistance. I'm happy to tell the insurance company up front, before doing anything, and happy (not happy, but I'll do it) to pay a higher deductible. (As these regs were only introduced to keep low impact insurance claims down.) I'm not looking to hide anything, nor roll the dice. Will anything happen? Probably not. If it does, is there likely to be an issue? Also, likely not. In my personal circumstances, from experience, if it can go wrong, it will. I've been to court a few times, and always won my claims but, even when the law is on your side, it can take quite a long time and cost quite a bit of money. It's not pleasant. I was just curious to see if there was a "sure, you can do that because of federal law/regulation ABC123, and I've done it with insurance company XYZ," or "you're crazy, that's illegal, I tried talking to my insurance company and they laughed at me." Like so much else, this appears to be a shade of gray.

Our posts crossed paths. That's interesting what you refer to. I've seen the opposite happen, around me. People have registrations and let insurance lapse (which raise the cost of insurance for the rest of us), but I haven't seen the reverse. Interesting.

Those Civics (I'm assuming you mean from recent decades) had stock bumpers, underneath the aftermarket bumper covers, and even being lowered were likely within the states' bumper laws for height. When it comes to dimensions, the regulations are actually quite lenient for bumpers, and lowering a modern car is unlikely to breach the measurements (as it pertains to bumpers) no matter how low you go as eventually the bottom hits the street. (It could break other regs, but that's separate.) The impact speed of bumpers appears to be a federal item, simply written for insurance claims, and that's where the clarity is missing. Further, bumpers are billed as a safety item (I'm not saying they are), so the modification of those is what's unclear. If you take out your passenger's airbag, and get in an accident, do you think your insurance company is going to pay for that person's medical bills, even if the airbags would no nothing? I wouldn't bet on it. Maybe, but to me it's not worth the risk. If I've taken anything from this thread it's that there doesn't appear to be a law that anyone can refer to that allows for modification of safety items on classic cars, your best (only?) bet is to clear any safety mods with your insurance company, and to get it in writing and put it in a safe deposit box. I went over the speed limit, once (I'm not copping to any more than that.). Everybody was doing it, and I don't think I would've gone to jail if I was caught, but it was against local speed ordinance and some lawyer would be happy to take me to court if there was an accident and I was given a ticket for a single mph over the limit. I've heard lots of anecdotal stories and people using logic, but a hard and fast rule seems to be missing. In New York, for example, a car over twenty five doesn't need an emissions check. Period. That's just a fact. Can a car have its original bumper changed, at any age? I don't have the answer to that, and haven't seen one above. I was hoping someone knew of a law similar to the emissions one that already exists.

I wound up buying a different (much closer to me) car for quite a bit more money, in a color I don't love, and without a sunroof. Knock on wood, I just felt better with the car as it sat in front of me. It has original paint from '76, which I think makes it easier to spot rust (and I found a little), and quite literally sat still in a garage for over 20 years. I saw the car in person, took it for a ride, and was back at my house within an hour. It's getting dropped off at my mechanic on Wednesday. Again, in my personal case, it just seemed easier and made more sense. Other people will think it was the wrong call, but it was right for me. My thoughts are that this Fjord car could be the right car for someone who lives fairly close and can do an inspection, at the right price, especially if you are going to do some of the work bodywork yourself. From the pics, there's some surface rust that needs to be addressed, then painted over. (I don't know about anything deeper, or underneath, as I couldn't inspect it. That's where being local helps.) If you can do light bodywork, this could be a good buy. Mechanicals, on paper, seemed to be good, and the seller has lots of receipts. With the amount of work required, that I've seen (and I'm making an assumption as I haven't seen framerail shots or tested for any rust myself), and the seemingly different engine from factory, I think you can make this car a nice driver for a reasonable price. If your plan is a full restoration to enter shows, then this car may not be for you. To be crystal clear, I wanted to buy the Fjord car, and might have if it were much closer. $10K may or may not be fair. It's hard for me to tell without touching it. With parts cars doing $5K, this car is a running daily driver with a still functioning AC and factory sunroof (and Auto if you're looking for one) so it seems to be well in the ballpark of fair. If I owned a body shop, or was comfortable with a sander and paint gun, I probably would've bought it from the pics, and had it shipped up. To be clear, as I've never seen the car, I'm neither vouching for, nor denigrating, this particular car. It didn't work for me, but for reasons that may be of no concern to others. Sorry I couldn't help.

I know it won't help in the impact, as the 2002 makes a nice hood ornament for a truck. It's the correspondence between lawyers, afterward, that I'm thinking about. So, anyone from NY know the local laws, here? (I'm guessing they're as bad as other laws where my fellow countrymen do OK.)

No argument, but I'd like to not have to care, at all, and let my insurance underwriter worry about it. I'd gladly pay a few bucks more, or raise my deductible, than worry about getting rear ended by a truck, then somehow wind up getting sued, all while sitting at a stoplight and minding my own business.

We're of very similar thinking. The only thing that I think COULD override some of the question is the way the U.S. treats older cars. Not only is registration, inspection, and insurance normally reduced at a certain age, but we can bring in (to my understanding) fully non-compliant cars after 25 years. Is there a difference between a 25 year old car that was never sold (homologated) here and a car that's been here for 40 years? (To make it harder, what about a 1976 2002 sold in Europe, and brought here ten years ago?) Logic would lead you to think one way, but the law has nothing to do with logic, in my experience.

If one were to put a non-stock bumper (or remove it completely) on a model year that required 5mph bumpers, is there any liability to the owner? You’re unlikely to have issues, but can/will your insurance company tell you that they aren’t covering an incident (from a liability standpoint) if the bumper is no good? Are cars exempt after a certain number of years, even if they are North American cars? People clearly make the swap, but I’ve also seen plenty of other illegal things in wide use on our roads. (Mostly during the Fast & Furious Honda Civic Era, which is thankfully over.) Thanks for any info. Seth

Awesome. Thanks.

Looks beautiful. Did you need to cut/hammer any metal to get the speakers in your kick panels?

I looked in the New York City group, but no luck. I also search "New Jersey PPI." I don't know the dealers out there, and there are a few, but I know my local BMW dealer doesn't do PPIs. (They got sued after missing something on an M3, so it's not worth it to them for a few hundred bucks. I'm assuming it's the same at other local dealers.) Anyway, I'd like to get a PPI done in Paramus instead of driving my mechanic out there with me. Can anyone recommend a shop in the Paramus area, preferably open on Saturdays? Thanks. Seth

Enough to buy any of the M10 or M20 engines that I may have seen from Metric Mechanic for street use, but not enough to be OK spending money on an engine that I drop in a dumpster, just to buy a different one. (I can afford it, but will be extremely displeased.) I just want the “right” engine for street use. Failures bother me more than I enjoy successes, so I want to do it right the first time. I should probably go see a shrink, but I’d rather mess around with cars. I’ve got a very fast and great handling car, and I have a nice tourer for highway use, so the 2002 is just for something fun and different. (And my first non-modern car.)

I was joking. All of the manufacturers have been making special edition cars with less in them, for a lot more money. (Rear seats, carpet, AC, radio, door handles, etc.) A few years ago, I believe Jeremy Clarkson was poking fun at the Mercedes Benz Black Edition cars, on Top Gear. Sure, those cars normally have some racing bits, but it was a good point.

Doesn't that make the car worth twice as much, too? Porsche and Mercedes have been doing that for a number of years.

I've searched and searched for some quantitative data on an M10 upgrade, and the only thing I've found is from Metric Mechanic. Lots of guys on here say "do the following cam, change the pistons, increase compression, ... and you're good." What's "good"? I'm not looking for a rev-happy track car, but a solid build that's more fun on the street. Are there any accepted new HP numbers (or more importantly increase over stock) for various configurations? Dynos are great, but "seems a bit faster at the low end" is OK, too, I suppose. Thanks. Seth

The Ad went to “expired” status in the last day or so. The seller does 911 restorations, as a hobby, and planned to do this one. I believe it’s been sitting for quite a bit, as I’ve received photos dated 2017 that look similar to requested photos from last week. Attached are a few pics. I’m in New York, or I would’ve checked the car out a month ago. Thanks if anyone knows this car. Seth

Does anyone know anything about the Automatic Fjord 2002 with Sunroof and AC on Craigslist near Fayetteville, NC? I’ve been talking with the seller and, frankly, I’m uneasy. Little things keep popping up, only after I push him on it. Photos are taken where I know problem areas are immediately out of frame. Facts (like a replacement engine) only come up when I see the receipts and ask about it. Etc. Etc. I don’t want to speak ill of the seller, as these could be innocent mistakes, but I don’t want to drive ten hours with a trailer to find a bunch of problems that were kept from me, and just turn around. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for any info. Seth

Hey Shaggy. Sent you a PM earlier. Let me know if you didn't get it. Thanks. Seth

I'm looking at two similar cars, but one has no AC. Anyone looking to sell the in-cabin evaporator and face plate? (From any of the manufacturers.) Thanks. Seth

I'm in the same boat (in NYC, today, but heading out of the city to get a house mostly for more parking), and that's the rub. I'd only take the car out if it's nice, but ruling out "too nice" would be a waste. I have other things to drive, but why buy a toy you can't use? I'm looking at two cars, and buying something which doesn't, or won't, have AC seems like a non-starter.